Classic Poem

O God of love,
Shine from above,
With mercy strong and tender;
Thy sway alone
My heart would own,
My King and my Defender.

When sore afraid,
To Thee I prayed;
And soon, from Heaven replying,
Thy S PIRIT'S Breath
Wrought life from death,
And gave me songs for sighing.

All foul within,
Laden with sin,
And helpless bound thereunder;
Thy pardon came,
With word of flame,
And burst my bonds in sunder.

Therefore I sing,
O L ORD and K ING ;
My heart with joy o'erfloweth:
No bliss of earth
Hath life or worth,
Save when Thy love it knoweth.

Yet is my heart
Thine but in part,
And o'er it oft come thronging
Earth's hopes and fears,
Earth's joys and tears,
And earthly love and longing.

O purge its dross,
By Thine own Cross;
And make it, Thou Refiner,
Through pain, more pure,
Through storm, more sure,
And day by day diviner.

May no dark stain
In me remain,
My soul from Thee to sever;
Let me be Thine,
And Thou be mine,
For ever and for ever.